Joseph h



(No Model.)-

J H. STEWART.

BOW FACING OAR.

Patented Jan. 21,1890.

N PETERS Pholo-Lllhogmphcr. Washlngllm. D. C,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH Hf STEYVART, OF BLUFF CITY, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNCR TO JACOB THOMAS, JOHN H. CALDWELL, AND JOHN A. FAW, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

BOW-FACING OAR.

SPECIFIZCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,898, dated January 21, 1890.. Application filed July 25,1889. Serial No. 318,635- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. STEWART, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bluff City, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bow Faoing Oars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bow-facing cars, the object thereof being to provide an oar which will allowthe oarsman to sit facing the bow; and my invention consists in providing an oar made up of two sections jointed to each other, said jointed sections working above a pivoted plate secured to a vertical portion which takes the place of the oar-lock, said portion being bifurcated and provided with a removable cross-pin for limiting the angle of the bed-plate and car, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is aperspective view showing my improvement applied to a boat. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the gunwale of the boat in cross-section with my improvement applied thereto.

A refers to a plate which is secured to the gunwale of the boat in any suitable manner, preferably after the style usually employed for connecting the ordinary thole-pins thereto. This plate A has upwardly-projecting members a a, which are provided with a series of vertical perforations, the upper perforations being at the center of the upwardlyprojecting members, and through the same passes a transverse pin h, for securing the plate B pivotally thereto. The perforations a are located a little to .one side of the center of the vertical members of the plate A, and through the same passes a pin 0, against which the under side of the plate B will abut to properly limit the inclination of the plate and oar sections. A series of these perforations are provided, so that the transverse pin, against which the plate B abuts on the commencement of the stroke, can be adjusted to permit the attachment to be advantageously used in boats having different heights of gunwales or when a boat is loaded, this pin preventing the oar-blade being submerged too deep or more than necessary in the water.

The plate B is pivoted to one side of its center between the members of the support A, the pivot-pin being provided at one end with a head and at the opposite end with an opening for the passage of means forlocking the same in position, as a padlock, to prevent the oar and attachment being removed from the boat by unauthorized parties. Of course,when such locking means are provided, the support A will be bolted to the gunwale, so that it cannot be readily removed.

Above the plate B are located two castings D and E, which are jointed or hinged to each other, the adj acentportions of which fit snugly together, one section being provided with a tongue, while the other has a slot, within which the tongue fits, a pintle being used for securing the parts. The section or castingD is secured to the pivoted plate B by a bolt (Z, which bolt, if desirable, can be arranged to be adjustable within the perforation 01 so as to vary the length of the stroke. The outer end of this casting D has a socket, within which a wooden handle is fitted and secured.

The casting E is provided near its center with an oblong vertical slot E, through which passes a vertical bolt or pin rigidly secured to the late B. This pin is of less diameter than t e slot, so that it will work freely there in. The oar-blade or lower section of the oar is secured in a socket in the end of this castmg.

In the hereinbeforedesoribed device the oarsman is enabled to sit facing the bow of the boat and row in the usual manner, and is prevented from dipping the oar too deep in the water by the under side of the plate B contacting with the cross pin. When the cross pin is removed and the handle of the oar re leased, the oar and plate B may swing, so as to be almost parallel with the sides of the boat. The outer end of the plate B, striking against the beveled face of the support A, throws the handle of the oar in such a position that it will not interferewith the movementof the oar sman within the boat.

This device is especially adapted to be applied to hunting boats, skins, yawls, and pleasure-boats. H j M I am aware that prior to the filing of my application it has been proposed to provide a jointed rowing-oar, oneof the parts of which is pivoted to a plate, while the blade-section is provided with a slot, as is shown in the patents issued to S. W. Francis, dated October 22, 1867, or the patent to B. F. Bennet t, dated March 2, 1886, and I do not therefore claim a jointed bow-facing oar, broadly; but

What I claim as new;a'nd desire to secure by Letters Patent, is w 1. In a jointed rowing-oar, the castings or parts Dand E, connected to each other by a hinged joint, the blade portion E having a slot, through which passes a pin secured to a bed-plate, said slot being located beyond the pivoted portion of the oar the section D, having two or more perforations, and a pin for securing said sections to the plate B, said section being provided with a handle, while the opposite section carries a blade, the bed-plate having a plain upper surface and pivoted to a support, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth. j

2. In a bow-facing oar consisting of two sections hingedto each other, said sections carrying theliandle and bl ad e, a; plate haviug a transverse pivoted pin, by means of which it is secured between the bifurcated portions of the plate A, said bifurcated portions having one or more perforations, through which a pin is passed for limiting the inclination of the plate B, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a bow-facing oar, construct-ed substantially as shown, of a plate or support A, having vertical members, with a series of perforations, through which passes a removable pin or bolt, the upper portion of said plate between the members thereof being beveled, substantially as shown.

4. The combination, with the jointed oarsections, one of which is provided with a slot, through which passes a pin,tl1eadjacentse'c tion to which it is hinged being pivotally connected to a plate by a pin, the outer ends of said sections being provided with sockets, so that the handle and blade can be removably connected thereto, of the pivoted plate B, havinga flat upper surface, above which the sectionsD and E move, a transverse pivotboltlocated to one side of the center of theplate B, said bolt being provided with means for locking the same to the vertical members of the support A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V t. JOSEPH H. STEWART WVitnessesi EUGENE W. JOHNSON, HORACE L; BEALL'. 

